(Saying Goodbye) and #Listmas2014: Geeky Gifts

There are times for flourish and rhetoric, and there are times for straight talk. It’s with the latter in mind (and, okay, maybe a little of the former) that, with this, my final post, I bid a misty-eyed farewell to Geek Force Network. Writing for this site has been among my most enjoyable tasks since this whole wonderful conglomeration began. Unfortunately, the duties of real life have been calling out strongly for me lessen my online workload, and I can no longer avoid the call. To my GFN partners-in-crime and everyone who’s followed me here, you have my utmost appreciation. You all truly made GFN into one of the most awesome sites on the Internet, and I’ve certainly enjoyed one hell of a happy ride.

One of best best things about writing for GFN was that we were given carte blanche to write about whatever we wanted. It’s in that spirit and all the holiday-ness that I figured I’d make this goodbye post into a #Listmas2014 post (because it’s just the right thing to do), and offer up some of my favorite geeky gifts that I’ve come across over the past year.

Adieu good people, until we meet again!

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Geek gift #1: Awesome pens and pencils
If you think gifting pens and pencils, is, like, so totally lame, then you’ve never experienced the joy of writing with an awesome pen or pencil. And I’m not talking fancy, schmancy, expensive monogrammed fountain pens and such, but just solidly crafted writing utensils, like the beautiful Kuru Toga pictured below. Just looking at it make me want to…write something.

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Geek gift #2: The Drunken Botanist, by Amy Stewart
As I’ve been getting more and more into gardening, I’ve developed a fascination with the hidden properties of plants. So when I stumbled upon The Drunken Botanist, a book that’s all about the role plants have played and are playing in the formation of alcoholic drinks, well, I just couldn’t turn a blind eye. This book seems like just the ticket for gardening geeks and fans of cocktails alike!

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Geek gift #3: Radioactive Elements glowing coasters
Speaking of drinks, what better things to place them on (and, of course, save your Ikea-strewn home) than these glowing coasters! Besides just being generally fun, these coasters are educational, as they contain all the proper periodic table information for chemical elements that are actually radioactive — radium, uranium, thorium, and plutonium. A more thoughtful gift for the geek in your life I can’t imagine. (Though I do, because the list goes on…)

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Geek gift #4: Harry Potter Hogwarts house plaque
Okay, so I can’t claim to be much of a Harry Potter geek, but I know plenty of folks who would love nothing more than to show their undying love for that magical wizard than with a Hogwarts house plaque! Though they’re kinda hard to find theses days, attaining one for the Harry Potter fanatic in your life would surely be well worth the effort.

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Geek gift #5: Hoberman spheres
What, Hoberman spheres are just silly kids toys, you say? Well you name me another “toy” that displays the amazing properties and transformative design qualities of a geodesic dome better than a Hoberman sphere! Yeah…that’s what I thought. Plus they are just cool, especially the ones that glow in the dark.

It's all geek to me!

About GFN

Geek Force Network is a collection of great writers, podcasters and video producers who gravitate toward all things geek. The idea for the name was started among a group of bloggers on Twitter, and eventually it snowballed into this behemoth. GFN updates seven days a week.